The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-09-09

answer Had he been merely scornful q,
her loss OF caste, she could he defiant but
lie was evidently sorry for her.
why have you done this, Niyay7 the
yonng man continued nproachfully
''You were NOT In poverty; you were hap
Ply; why, then, did you leave home fol-
such an occupation as thisy'
Niya looked nj the mats silently. Her
lip qniwered, tin blush that mounted from
her throat to- her forehead faded away,
pursued by deadly palcness, and her
limbs trembled 80 much that she dropped
ON the ground and hid her face in her
broad sleeves
An old man entored from the veranda,
and, after bowling to Kampei, deserted
the girl motionless, with her head leaning
against n Partition
"Howr' he cried, angrily, 41moping in
this way with the house full OF guests
troublesome fellows, too, like those sam
urai, who curse and threaten il they are
delayed but one moment. Up this in
slant, say, or I shall use my whip ON
your shoEldersf'
Niya seemed glad to escape from Kam-
pci's questions, and she withdrew, fol-
lowed by the master OF the house.
Drawing the tobacco stand toward him
Kampei filed and lit his pipe, and while
smoking puzzled himself in endeavoring
to explain Niya's presence there. The
singing in the adjoining chamber grew
more boisterous, and sometimes Kampei
heard the clash Of swords, the voices of
the frightened attendants, and the en-
treaties of the proprietor. 1t all Jared on
the young mans feelings, and were il
possible he would have left the place.
But there were only miserable villages
between the chaya and Morioka, and,
apart from his fatigue, the way was
lonely and dangerous on account Of rob-
bers.
He strolled to the back OF the inn, and
pursued a little tagged path toward q
rustic summer house erected on IN arti-
fetal mound. A slight railing on either
side divided the path from the garden,
where the summer chrysanthemums, the
peonies and pinks were bursting into
bloom, while the camellia, azalea and
primrose gave forth their expiring strength
in O few delicate flowers. Some late
violets peeped timidly from the shadow Of
n huge rock around the lattice work Of
the summer house vine tendrils struggled
with dainty clematis, and cherry blossoms,
from which the house was named, bloomed
in gay profusion everywhere.
Sitting there in the silence of the even
ing, the soft landscape spread out beneath
him, the odor of the garden mounting to
the arbor, Kampei almost forgot his re-
cent annoyance and INDUCED in pleasant
dreams of the future. Dusk was advanc-
ing, when he was startled by seeing Niya,
who had approached noiselessly, standing
in the doorway. She uttered little
scream on finding the summer house occu-
pied, and was about to go away, when
Kampei recalled her and desired her in
harsh voice to sit down. She obeyed, the
blood meanwhile mounting Indignantly to
her forehead; and when Kampei looked
severely at her she hastily brushed away
the traces of recent tears and said def
antly:
Grown not thus, good Kampei; am
not O-Suba, your betrothed; l am only
Niya. Are not my parents dead? And
who, then, will dare to reprove me If do
what / pleases Go to Morioka, Kampei,
and let you and O-Suba forget the
wretched Niya, who will never return to
her home"
She rose to her feet while speaking md
was about to leave, when Kampei again
stopped her and said sorrowfully:
"You have chosen a mean calling that
your parents would have rejected as vul-
gar and disgraceful; their spirits are dis
pleased, and you can no more visit their
tombs or pray before the god shelf with a
peaceful mind. There was q time that
thought loved Niya more than O-Suba,
and now--yah, yahl'' he continued scorn-
fully, after a pause, "get away, you low
You are no longer anything to
me but the miserable tea house attend
antr'-
He turned away from her with gesture
Of anger. She clasped her hands to her
side and staggered against the frail wood
work, making the whole structure
then, looking at him wildly, she
uttered heartbroken cry and rushed
down the path, past the house and across
The broad road.
Kampei followed the girl with his eyes,
and, when he saw her climb the bank on
The roadside and spring into the river flow
ing slowly beyond, he muttercd to himself:
"The death Of a dog is good enough for
one with so mean q soulr'
But better thoughts quickly came, and
he determined to try and save her.
Niya rose to the surface of the water,
and her clothing buoyed her for some mo-
nents. She did not struggle, but kept her
hands thrust into the sleeves of her robe.
She sank again in the smooth current, and
rs her face became buried her fortitude
deserted her, and she threw up her arms
with stined shrek.
The bubbles that marked the spot where
she sank were almost gone when Kampei
reached the bank, Invested of his sandals
Ind outer garments. Flo sprang into the
stream, ana succeeded in Selling the
drowning girl, who, though nearly in
sensible grasped him tightly about the !
neck, hindering his movements. Kampei,
finding the place shallow, put his feet
upon the ground, but to his terror they |
sank into deep mud, and he felt the water
gradually rising upon him. He strained |
every muscle, but the water still mounted |
until they were both covered. A roar as |
Of thunder filed his ears, and his head |
seemed about to burst, but he managed to |
preserve some GOODNESS. BY o violent |
effort he loosened Niya's frantic embrace, |
and, still grasping her clothing, struggled |
put of the mud and gained n firm foothold, |
exhausted and gasping for breath.
Though his strength was almost gone |
md his knees tottered, he held Niya to |
his breast, looking anxiously into her !
face. Her eyes were closed, and her head |
foil heavily on hia aru, fba bo;r fro,,,